Monsoon, monsoon, monsoon ... heatwave, heatwave, heatwave!

Yes, it has been a MOST odd day here in Siem Reap ... heavy, heavy rains, then hot, hot sunshine!

All good ...

Up early to receive a "Jasmine Blessing" from a local monk - Lach Leang. He blessed me for prosperity and good luck. Nice chap ... 

Silk ... pre-1975, Cambodia produced 160 tons of high-grade silk (including the famous "Golden Silk"). The civil war - 1975 to 1979 put paid to that as the mulberry fields were decimated.

Even today, only 5 tons is produced.

Silk is a derivative of the cocoon of a silkworm before it becomes a moth. So the moth mates and produces 250 eggs (+ or _!) ... these hatch into the silkworm ... worm eats mulberry leaves and after 10 days starts to spin a cocoon. This cocoon is "silk" ... 400 metres of silk thread comes from the cocoon - the shell is fine silk and the main part is the raw silk.

The silk is then thread by thread, by-hand extracted from the cocoon. Then it's cleaned, dyed (natural and synthetic dyes), spun and finally woven into ties etc ...

A weaver can weave upto 1/2 m2 a day ... depending on the design.

I am pooped ... some jet-lag ... mainly heat ... PHEW!

Song of the Day: Lullaby - The Cure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijxk-fgcg7c

Monk Lach Leang - I didn't know whether to smile or not! He was SO serious ... !

Wat Pthmey - referred to a the "Killing Fields" monastery ... 1.5 million innocents were murdered by Pol Pot in the 1970's ... this is part of a memorial erected to tell the world not to forget ... has the world listened? I think not ... 

Hot Hot Hot!

My silk angels at the Artisans Ankor Silk Farm - Roath and Kosal

In 1962, Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia built the Villa Princiere as a guesthouse for fabulous visitors to a nearby Royal Residence.

The likes of Jackie Kennedy and de Gaulle stayed here.

In 1964 it became a proper hotel but during the "civil war" - 1975 to 1979 - it was used as a barracks. After this it became rundown and until 2002 was basically a wreck.

Aman came along and in December 2002 opened Amansara ("Aman" means peace and the "sara" is derived from a nymph water dance). You can still see the original swimming pool, dining room and some suites. It - of course - has been totally refurbished.

It has 24 suites - 12 with pools and 12 without. I have a pool! All suites are around 60 m2 in area ... have HUGE bed, freestanding bath and living room ... it's an open-plan suite.

The resort is run by the delightful General Manager Sally Baughen ... complete with her gorgeous, wonderful and lovable pooch called Emma.

There's a big swimming pool, a lap pool (for me later!), Spa (awesome), dining room, library (with grown-up books) ... and a wine cellar (yum). We've been filming all day ... and it's VERY VERY hot & sweaty out there... even my hair went frizzy! Ha!

Song of the Day: Twinkle, Twinkle Star - Federika Stahl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXZrqCZP8o4

Fancy a dip anyone?

Emma and Sally and "that car" ...

HELP!

Greetings from the Amansara resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia!

It has been a rather long (!) 24 hours ...

Home to Gatwick Airport - 125 miles - 3 hours drive
Gatwick Airport to Frankfurt, Germany - 476 miles - 2 hours flight
Frankfurt to Hanoi, Vietnam - 8158 miles - 10.5 hours flight
Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Laos - 253 miles - 1 hour flight
Luang Prabang to Siem Reap, Cambodia - 2 hours flight

With stop-overs and delays ... 24 hours!

I flew Vietnam Airlines which was very good actually. I didn't sleep a jot on the overnight flight as I think I was VERY exited about the next two weeks!

Now am in my suite at the Aman resort and am tired ... so I will sign off with a "hello" and "goodbye" ... until tomorrow my friends!

Song of the Day: Mystify - INXS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zE2UwkoUR8

Was picked up by Amansara in a 1960's Merc limo - how cool?

At Gatwick

Vietnam

Laos

Cambodia

ELEPHANTS!

The guys are travelling tonight on their flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia via Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines.  So whilst they are hovering somewhere in the sky I am writing today's diary.

 

We've all had aches and pains at some point in life - some physical and some mental!

A number of years ago I discovered a holistic treatment called Bowen Technique and quite honestly I now swear by it.  It's not an indulgent massage or a chiropractic "punch and crunch", it is a gently technique used to roll fingers over the fascia on the muscles and other soft tissues in the body, and by giving them a gentle nudge or two helping them re-set to their intended position.  A treatments is given through light clothing and there is a lot of time in between the "hands on" element where you are left for your body to take on the adjustment it has just been given.  There is a lot of focus on the back/spine from where all of the nerves are channelled through the spinal column.

From tennis elbow to cricked neck or recurrent migraines - Bowen Technique works for many people.  If you want to know more have a look at http://www.thebowentechnique.com/who-or-what-is-the-bowen-technique.html

EMMA (Producer)

London was filled with rude, obnoxious, self-centred, self-important, ugly (mentally), ill-mannered morons today ... oh yes - it must be the start of London Fashion Week.

I don't care if you are a fashion model, PR or photographer ... you don't have to be horrid people! Ugh! I saw a few incidents today in London that made me wonder about humanity ... UGH! Fashion is NOT brain surgery ... and certainly NOT more important than mucking out stalls in a pig-farm.

Anyway - today was Portugal-editing day! After watching the first cut, I can honestly say that it IS one of the "nicest" shows we have edited together for a long time. It ebbs and flows seamlessly ... the guests are interesting and the features just look right. 

I am off first thing in the morning so will miss tomorrows' Diary ... over to you Madame Producer.

Am so excited about the next two weeks...

Song of the Day: The Boss - James Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC2ZY2loo74

Oli has gone all "Senna" on the driving feature ... looks awesome!

Guilherme from the Ritz Four Seasons

The Royal Suite at The Ritz

Oli wanted some pastais ... this is all he could find ... ideal with milk ... (ugh)

David at Penha Longa Ritz-Carlton

Mariana - my tram buddy

The Imperial Suite at Penha Longa Ritz-Carlton

Anyone for golf?

I have spent some of the day in a forest ... don't ask (I didn't get lost)!

Apparently Mrs Harry Potter is building tree-houses in her garden ... and the newspapers have been scouring the world for fabulous tree-houses and if I remember rightly, I visited the Tree House Hotel in Sweden last year and it was AMAZING!

I have been watching some of the Women's British Open golf - I wish I was even 1/2% as talented as the ladies playing today. The weather was atrocious at Hoylake. Talking about weather - it's going to be hot, humid and rainy in the Far East ... whoohoo!

Tomorrow - the journey begins ...

Song of the Day: A Forest - The Cure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xik-y0xlpZ0

 One day I had dinner with a dingo!

One day I milked a goat!

Filming trips to Cambodia and Vietnam over the next three weeks - how excited am I? VERY ... VERY!

It's just gone 6 pm and the sun is starting to set here in leafy, green England ... how depressing. It was a lovely warm day and sadly I did not achieve any of my work objectives to the full. Let's hope tomorrow is an improvement!

Song of the Day: Chicken Payback - The Bees
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq7ASMbOpmo

Hmmm ...

No golf today ... boohoo ... back to the office and back to work.

When I retire, I will have an early morning swim, breakfast, mid-morning tennis ... lunch then a leisurely round of afternoon golf ... ending every week day with a massage! Am I asking too much?

Ha!

Song of the Day: Called Out in The Dark - Snow Patrol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwTXwJg6_VE

 Maybe I will become an apiarist

Or just stick to kitten-cuddling

I have been playing golf all day!

Foxhills (near London) was the course ... and the event was sponsored by "South Africa" ... I was a guest of SAA ... thanks Gary!

The sun was shining, the sky was blue ... and it was grrrrreat fun.

I - sadly - played like the blind, drunk, village goofball ... but - strangely - with the odd flash of genius which means I will play again! All those par-3s ... which I par'd!

My clubs work VERY well (in the hands of good golfers it has to be said!). 

Song of the Day: Come Dancing - The Kinks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs2kFrGluKs

 All the gear ...

 Guy, John, Gary ... 

I very nearly went AWOL today.

I was up early and headed into London for a meeting near Victoria Station. As I wandered aimlessly through the concourse (like a cloud) I saw the Orient-Express train just about to launch off for a day-trip to Chesterfield. I so nearly jumped on as a stowaway! It looked so, SO inviting!

I love all that nostalgic stuff ... one day soon ...

My new phone is wonderful BUT I must remember to charge it occasionally. It's dead, dead, dead ... no "Stick Cricket" for me before bedtime!

It's raining ... grr ...

Tomorrow I play in a golf tournament. I hope the weather is kind to me.

Song of the Day: Trash - Suede
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PdKGDMhau4

When is it okay for a man to cry?

In my world ...

a) pride: watching any kind of Paralympic sport - because it is TRULY, TRULY inspirational

b) anger: when I read stories of people (well... scum) mistreating children, the elderly and animals (too much in the news today)

c) sad: when watching Bambi (no, I didn't have time to watch today but just the thought ...) ... oh and Mother India ... boohoo ... 

d) laughter: The Simpsons and Hurundi V Bakshi (!) ... 

d) happiness: remembering my time cuddling elephants in Thailand ... and when watching Andy Murray win the US Open. For so long, the UK has produced has-beens in tennis ... finally a true champion ... and it was AMAZING!

I feel 100% better today - thank you ... as does James (see yesterday) who sent me a photo of his much repaired hand that was ... shall we say ... mangled.

Song of the Day: The Goonies r' Good Enough - Cyndi Lauper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kMi9tvuuZY

Winner

Today could have been a really, really, REALLY bad day ... but thankfully, it's now okay ... 

Our dear friend James (field producer from a couple of years ago) nearly did himself a SERIOUS injury switching on a light bulb! I joke not. He is well and alive, though ... phew!

I have spent the day in bed with a wee cold - atishoo and bleugh ... I hate being unwell - I need to be well - I have work and golf on the agenda this week!

Oh - and it started to rain today. Great.

Song of the Day: Electricity - OMD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y43XLVqjytQ

He's alive!

I have been at the seaside AGAIN today ... to mark the end of Summer/Autumn and the beginning of Winter here in England!

Yesterday it was a lovely day to sit on the beach and think .. today was an ideal day to sit on the beach ... and shiver! Brrrrrrr! 

So - guess what? I think I now have a cold ... great! Early to bed for me with a Lemsip!
Have a BIG/HUGE/ENORMOUS week ahead ... again!

Song of the Day: Fishermen's Blues - The Waterboys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VKouBHarIo

 Yes - there are people in the sea behind me! CRAZY! I am about to sneeze, by the way!

 Fun

 Fun x 2

Leica magic ... 

I love giving gifts FAR more than receiving them.

At Xmas I get sent oodles of toiletries, gift baskets and bath robes (yes, bath robes!) ... which invariably are distributed among friends n' family. In fact, I have a box of toiletries called "The Box" and anyone who comes to my home is allowed to pluck three items from it ... even the postman. On Friday, the electricity-meter-reading man - who had forgotten his wife's birthday - took four items ... which I duly wrapped for him! Really ...

Gifts I like and appreciate (to send and receive) - alcohol ... and cigars ... gifts that make me feel ill (to receive) - SARDINE CHOCOLATE! The very name ... ugh! Thanks Nana ...

Another strange day ... where is my life going?

Song of the Day (in fact Song of the Month) - Bad Religion - Frank Ocean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqkYW_vcyPw

 Sardine chocolate - WRONG IN EVERY WAY - AWFUL (to give or receive)

 Winston Churchill's (awful man) favourite brandy. Good choice. AWESOME GIFT (to give and receive)

Davidoff White Edition - AWESOME GIFT (to give or receive)